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The Car Thread ... !

A.Goldberg said:
The problem with the Honda system is that torque won’t be transferred to the rear axle if the front wheels have zero friction and the rear wheels have full friction. I can’t thibk of a ton of situations where a car like a CRV has that problem. I say it’s probably “good enough” for most people because no one is extreme off-roading in a CRV and it’s quite rare that you would have zero traction on both the front wheels but full tradition on both the rear wheels- or if you did it would be something that momentum would quickly resolve of or that probably could be easily corrected with a second attempt.

The fact of the matter is very few AWD systems perform as you’d expect or how they’re marketed. There’s a video on YouTube with a slew of cars being tested on various roller setups and most of them fail. Basically all the AWD systems in compact SUVs (CRV, RAV4, etc) are designed for mpg, not particuarly robust, not made for extremes, and not as effective as a true 4wd system or some of the more expensive AWD systems.

I once owned a 2003 Grand Cherokee with Quadrive (center locking riff, variable locking front and rear). Theoretically you’re supposed to be able to have 3 wheels with no traction and get the torque locked to the wheel with traction. Did that really ever happen when it should have- no, not really... especially since the system was entirely mechanical (clutches, pumps, etc, no electronics). It was still one of the best 4WD systems I’ve used... if you really want true 4WD/AWD you have to get yourself a G-Wagon as it comes stock with front/center/rear full locking diffs. My dad has a 2012 Range Rover Sport with the center and rear locking diffs, plus traction control, so that’s probably the best setup you can get stock without spending $130k. My partners S60 has a haldex AWD (FWD biased) that’s supposed to transfer torque within a split second of slippage- does that happen in the real world, often it does not.

In reality I know a bunch of people with Honda CRVs (and the Gen2 Acura RDX which uses the same system). Despite all the fanfare a few years back about this, none of these people have said they’ve had issues. I’ve ridden through the snow in these more than a few times and they seemed to handle New England just fine. In terms of small SUV’s last I checked (to be fair this was ~4 years ago when my sister was buying her RAV4), the Subaru Forester is the only thing in its class that offered a quality AWD system. Their mechanics can handle somewhere close to a 50/50 distribution (60/40 if I remember). Jeep probablt some decent offerings in their mess of small SUVs, but I wouldn’t reccomend buy one (that is the regular Cherokee or Renegade).

If you want a robust awd system most of the small, family SUV’s are not the place to look. And the transfer case isn’t everything, tires, weight distribution, ground clearance, suspension, etc all make a significant impact in less than ideal conditions. God knows how many times my mother has stuck her Audi Allroad trying to get through the snow bank at the end of the driveway cause by the plow.
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I agree with all of this.

Add to that, the only real thing that gets you out of the snow most of the time is having snow tires.
 
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Speaking of snow tires, Bridgestone Blizzaks are excellent. Have been using them for years when I transfer to a winter set up from my all Seasonal Michelin Pilots. I usually order from Tire Rack if my local dealers do not have any sale prices. Which, Tire Rack is superb in both delivery and customer service.
 
Zenithal said:
So.... anyone catch the 991.2 GT3 RS ring lap video?
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Wow, sub-7 ... and it's NA and 2WD! I think it said the previous generation was 7:20, so without major power changes they knock off ~24 seconds!?!


I think this picture says it all :D


high-911-gt3-rs-nu-rburgring-nordschleife-2018-porsche-ag-1524223390.jpg
 
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Toyota finally debuted all four 2019 Avalon models to include Carplay support with Qi wireless charging. The 2019 Corolla Hatchback will also include CarPlay.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...to-2019-avalon-and-corolla-hatchback.2116101/


Overall, I think the Avalon is a good looking vehicle, however; That is one Massive Grill.

1811F18E-4AE1-469A-AE7A-A482FAC477E7.jpeg

[doublepost=1524554723][/doublepost]The Hatchback resembles the Prius way too much from the front.

932A3B9D-6F02-47CB-A045-FF88CA6811E7.jpeg


I see what Toyota was doing here going for for a sport vibe with the hatchback, but the way that rear bumper _extends_ is way too obtrusive.

916C05BD-DD86-408E-BAF9-0A4C7290B929.jpeg
 
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Relentless Power said:
According to Wikepedia:

The Avensis is on a separate platform from
The Avalon, assembled in the U.K and Not avaibale in the U.S. The Avensis shares the same platform as the Corolla.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_MC_platform

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Avensis
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I get confused by the names. I owned an Auris which was the replacement for the Corolla that was discontinued in 2005/6 here. The name hasn’t been used in over a decade. The new Avensis must be a modern variant on that.

Edit: The current Avensis is its own unique platform from reading that.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
I get confused by the names. I owned an Auris which was the replacement for the Corolla that was discontinued in 2005/6 here. The name hasn’t been used in over a decade. The new Avensis must be a modern variant on that.
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It was Also related to the Scion Tc Coupe, which is also discontinued here in the US. Very similar to the Corolla in size.


F0B4492C-03CA-4FAA-B7A1-D275C7D87D86.jpeg
 
Relentless Power said:
It was Also related to the Scion Tc Coupe, which is also discontinued here in the US. Very similar to the Corolla in size.


View attachment 759544
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Never heard of that one. It’s interesting how certain models are aimed at select markets. We had the Corolla throughout the 90’s and early 00’s and since then it’s the Auris. Same size car but with different looks and name.
ff6e444d0f4ecfe295393a6797569193.jpg

The Avensis has a longer wheelbase and is more marketed as the family saloon/estate these days. In the same class as a Mondeo or Passat.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
Never heard of that one. It’s interesting how certain models are aimed at select markets. We had the Corolla throughout the 90’s and early 00’s and since then it’s the Auris. Same size car but with different looks and name.
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A lot of the same variations with the vehicles, just different names and tweaks with the engines for emissions, safety, etc. The Corolla is vastly popular here in North America, highly fuel-efficient, affordable and extremely reliable.
 
Relentless Power said:
A lot of the same variations with the vehicles, just different names and tweaks with the engines for emissions, safety, etc. The Corolla is vastly popular here in North America, highly fuel-efficient, affordable and extremely reliable.
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I would like to say the Auris is too but it has an awful lot of completion in that class here. You’ve got the VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes A-Class, Honda Civic etc etc. It’s probably the most popular car size and the Toyota struggles to compete in the popularity stakes. It’s a great car though.
 
H3LL5P4WN said:
I wouldn't go that far. I mean, it would probably have looked like a lake to a Smart Car driver, but it couldn't have been more than six inches deep.
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Good grief, when it rains for an extended period here, we have a couple of flood spots, and by flood I mean like 6-to-maybe-8" of standing water and people flip out, refuse to drive through it - I like to plow through it at full speed (well, in the 4Runner :D)
 
bunnspecial said:
Why not?
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Correct. They sell in decent volume...

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/toyota-avalon-sales-figures/
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
Is the Avalon a variation of the Avensis for certain markets?
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Nope, Avalon is a full-size sedan that's primarily sold in North America and the Middle East. Basically a larger Camry.
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
Never heard of that one. It’s interesting how certain models are aimed at select markets. We had the Corolla throughout the 90’s and early 00’s and since then it’s the Auris. .
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The new Corolla (Auris in Europe) is finally back to being the same car across the world.

The US actually got the 2nd gen Auris hatchback as the Corolla iM/Scion iM. The US Corolla sedan (E170) is slightly different from the overseas Auris (E180).

https://www.toyota.co.uk/world-of-toyota/stories-news-events/how-corolla-became-auris.json
 
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A.Goldberg said:
http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/heres-what-expect-2019-land-rover-defender

A very disappointing article about the new Land Rover Defender that should be releasing soon. Summary:
- It’s going to premium priced
- Not a Wrangler competitor (I suppose the Defender has always been quite a bit more expensive than a Jeep, D90’s were $35,000+ in the 1990’s in the US)
- Not going to as off-road oriented

I’m surprised LR would completely ruin the Defender’s concept as a functional utilitarian vehicle. Surely the previous generation was an ancient platform, but I think it would have been much cooler had they made a modern interpretation of the Defender/Series Rovers. But I suppose this is exactly what they did with the Range Rover starting in the later 80’s up until now- go for the premium market.
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Ah, but how far back do we go ... I'd like to go back to the one (Series 2?) where you could lift the doors off, you sat on the petrol (not diesel) tank and you bounced around on leaf springs. The old bloke driving would say "Ere, young un, get out and twiddle that knob on the wheels before we try that"

I feel your pain but things move on. My Dad worked for BL and interestingly the most successful model from their point of view back in the day wasn't the Range Rover or Defender - it was the Freelander. I guess the thinking is - these things aren't farm trucks any more so as they're now Chelsea tractors why build with a separate chassis? If I remember correctly most of the problems aren't the sort of things you or I might think of but crash test and safety related. There was some talk a few years ago of the guy who runs Ineos creating a modern equivalent to the Defender (non monocoque construction etc) - and setting up a factory here to build them. I think they've called it Project Grenadier but it seems to have and fizzled out and from what I read on that site if it goes ahead its pretty much going to be all subcontracted to German plant anyway.
 
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AutoUnion39 said:
Correct. They sell in decent volume...

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/toyota-avalon-sales-figures/
[doublepost=1524600819][/doublepost]

Nope, Avalon is a full-size sedan that's primarily sold in North America and the Middle East. Basically a larger Camry.
[doublepost=1524601042][/doublepost]

The new Corolla (Auris in Europe) is finally back to being the same car across the world.

The US actually got the 2nd gen Auris hatchback as the Corolla iM/Scion iM. The US Corolla sedan (E170) is slightly different from the overseas Auris (E180).

https://www.toyota.co.uk/world-of-toyota/stories-news-events/how-corolla-became-auris.json
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I know this is off topic, but what the heck is your avatar, AU?
 
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